Arsenal, Arsenal, Arsenal...

There was a time, not too long ago, when the Gunners were seemingly invincible. The most efficient team in the English game, it was customary for the likes of Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry and Denis Bergkamp to dispatch their opponents in the first 30 minutes of the game and thereby end the match as a contest. Three goals before half-time, three points in the championship, job well done. Arsenal's free-flowing, attacking football thrilled spectators worldwide and won the club a fearsome reputation.

Yet there was also another side to this reputation that began to blossom under the leadership of French manager Arsene Wenger; a mission to seek Europe's most promising young talents and to develop them into world-beating stars. Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Ashley Cole, and most recently, Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie, all fit into this category of players.

Just how important and vital youths are to Arsenal was clearly demonstrated in the '05/'06 season, when the Gunners reached the Champion League Final for the first time in their history. They were unable to bring the trophy home, but an outstanding showing for a number of them at the World Cup proved Wenger's impeccable eye for talent, and his huge accomplishment in nurturing yet another generation of Gunners stars.

As a result of the manager's reliance on young players, inexperience reared its ugly head last season as well. Struggling to win on the road, almost completely unable to compete with physical opponents such as Bolton and Blackburn, and spurning chance after chance, Arsenal did not click until late into the season, much too late to challenge for the EPL title.

And here we are in '06/'07, seeing an almost identical pattern - save the fact that we are losing the home games as well. Some have blamed Emirates Stadium for the poor results. Although it is true that the new stadium does not inject the same feeling of fear into opposing teams, and that the club itself's players don't feel at home, this should not be an excuse for not winning. Arsenal should be able to compete even without Highbury's small pitch and its electrifying atmosphere. Why has Arsenal been performing poorly then?

The answer is the same old problem that plagued the '05/'06 team; inexperience, and an inability to convert chances. While it takes Chelsea, say, five chances to score, Arsenal has to create twice as many. Something is wrong in the striking department.

Arsenal is not necessarily giving poor performances, either. The trademark pace, fluidity, and thrilling ball-work is still there. The Gunners just lack the mean streak, the efficiency of the Vieira days.

What to do?

While William Gallas is slowly but steadily getting used to his new team's style of play, Arsenal needs to find the right striking partnership. Wenger has always kept to a straightforward 4-4-2 formation, with two center-backs, a right-back, left-back, a holding midfielder, a playmaker, two wingers and two strikers. Perhaps it's time to change formations?

One problem is, the most promising Gunners signing of the summer, Tomas Rosicky, is looking uncomfortable playing in the EPL. Just as Hleb took a while to become accustomed to the physical English style, let us give Rosicky some more time. Or maybe try moving him to a different position. The starting defense/midfield line-up should look something like this:

Eboue Toure Gallas Flamini

Gilberto Fabregas

The advantage of playing Flamini with Gallas is that, should Flamini need support, Gallas is quite a capable left-back as well. Besides, they both speak French and communication would be no problem :-)

More important is now trying to find the right winger/striker combination. Here there are too many ways to combine players, considering the wealth of attacking options; Julio Baptista, Alexander Hleb, Freddie Ljungberg, Tomas Rosicky, Jeremie Aliadiere, Theo Walcott, Emmanuel Adebayor, Robin van Persie, Thierry Henry...

I am open to suggestions regarding the attacking line-up. Three probable ones are:

1) classic 4-4-2

                  Gilberto    Fabregas

Ljungberg                          J. Baptista

                  Adebayor    Henry

2) using Rosicky behind three strikers, Theo Walcott playing attack mid. / striker role

                 Gilberto      Fabregas

                           Rosicky

Van Persie          Henry         Walcott

3) 4-5-1

                 Gilberto      Fabregas

Ljungberg                            J. Baptista

                           Rosicky

                             Henry

Suggestions are most welcome!!!